1 Samuel 9
1 There was a wealthy and influential man from the tribe of Benjamin, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bekorath, son of Aphiah, a descendant of Benjamin.
有一个便雅悯人，名叫基士，是便雅悯人亚斐亚的玄孙，比歌拉的曾孙，洗罗的孙子，亚别的儿子，是个大能的勇士。
2 Kish had a son called Saul, the most handsome young man in all of Israel. He was head and shoulders taller than anyone else.
他有一个儿子，名叫扫罗，又健壮、又俊美，在以色列人中没有一个能比他的；身体比众民高过一头。
3 One time the donkeys of Saul's father Kish went astray. Kish told to his son Saul, “Please go and look for the donkeys. You can take one of the servants with you.”
扫罗的父亲基士丢了几头驴，他就吩咐儿子扫罗说：“你带一个仆人去寻找驴。”
4 Saul searched the hill country of Ephraim and then the land of Shalishah, but didn't find the donkeys. He and the servant searched the region of Shaalim, but they weren't there. Then they searched the land of Benjamin, and they still couldn't find them.
扫罗就走过以法莲山地，又过沙利沙地，都没有找着；又过沙琳地，驴也不在那里；又过便雅悯地，还没有找着。
5 When they got to the land of Zuph, Saul told his servant, “Come on, let's go back, otherwise my father won't be worrying about the donkeys, but about us.”
到了苏弗地，扫罗对跟随他的仆人说：“我们不如回去，恐怕我父亲不为驴挂心，反为我们担忧。”
6 But the servant replied, “Hold on! There's a man of God here in this town. He's very well thought of, and everything he says comes true. Let's go and see him. Maybe he can tell us which way we should take.”
仆人说：“这城里有一位神人，是众人所尊重的，凡他所说的全都应验。我们不如往他那里去，或者他能将我们当走的路指示我们。”
7 “But if we do go, what can we give him?” Saul replied. “All the bread in our bags is gone. We don't have anything to take to the man of God. What do we have with us?”
扫罗对仆人说：“我们若去，有什么可以送那人呢？我们囊中的食物都吃尽了，也没有礼物可以送那神人，我们还有什么没有？”
8 “Look, I've got a quarter shekel of silver with me. I'll give it to the man of God so he can tell us the way we should take,” the servant told Saul.
仆人回答扫罗说：“我手里有银子一舍客勒的四分之一，可以送那神人，请他指示我们当走的路。”（
9 (In the old days in Israel, someone who went to inquire of God would say, “Come on, let's go to the seer,” because prophets used to be known as seers.)
从前以色列中，若有人去问 神，就说：“我们问先见去吧！”现在称为“先知”的，从前称为“先见”。）
10 “That's good,” Saul told his servant. “So let's go.” They went to the town where the man of God was.
扫罗对仆人说：“你说的是，我们可以去。”于是他们往神人所住的城里去了。
11 As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked them, “Is the seer here?”
他们上坡要进城，就遇见几个少年女子出来打水，问她们说：“先见在这里没有？”
12 “He is,” they replied, “up ahead of you. But you'll have to hurry. He's come to town today because the people are having a sacrifice at the high place.
女子回答说：“在这里，他在你们前面。快去吧！他今日正到城里，因为今日百姓要在邱坛献祭。
13 When you enter the town you can find him before he goes up to eat at the high place. The people won't eat before he comes, because he has to bless the sacrifice. After that, those who've been invited will eat. If you leave now you'll catch him.”
在他还没有上邱坛吃祭物之先，你们一进城必遇见他；因他未到，百姓不能吃，必等他先祝祭，然后请的客才吃。现在你们上去，这时候必遇见他。”
14 So they carried on their way up to the town. As they arrived there was Samuel going in the opposite direction. They met him on his way up to the high place.
二人就上去；将进城的时候，撒母耳正迎着他们来，要上邱坛去。
15 The day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told Samuel,
扫罗未到的前一日，耶和华已经指示撒母耳说：
16 “Around this time tomorrow I'm going to send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him as ruler over my people Israel, and he will rescue them from the Philistines. I have seen what's happening to my people and I have heard their cry for help.”
“明日这时候，我必使一个人从便雅悯地到你这里来，你要膏他作我民以色列的君。他必救我民脱离非利士人的手；因我民的哀声上达于我，我就眷顾他们。”
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I told you about. He is the one who is going to rule my people.”
撒母耳看见扫罗的时候，耶和华对他说：“看哪，这人就是我对你所说的，他必治理我的民。”
18 Saul went up to Samuel in the gateway and asked him, “Could you please tell me where the house of the seer is?”
扫罗在城门里走到撒母耳跟前，说：“请告诉我，先见的寓所在哪里？”
19 “I am the seer,” Samuel told Saul. “Go up ahead of me and we will eat together. Then in the morning I will answer all your questions and then send you on your way.
撒母耳回答说：“我就是先见。你在我前面上邱坛去，因为你们今日必与我同席；明日早晨我送你去，将你心里的事都告诉你。
20 About the donkeys you lost three days ago—don't worry about them because they've been found. But now—doesn't the hope of all of Israel rest on you and your family line?”
至于你前三日所丢的那几头驴，你心里不必挂念，已经找着了。以色列众人所仰慕的是谁呢？不是仰慕你和你父的全家吗？”
21 “But I'm from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least significant of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin!” Saul replied. “Why are you telling me this?”
扫罗说：“我不是以色列支派中至小的便雅悯人吗？我家不是便雅悯支派中至小的家吗？你为何对我说这样的话呢？”
22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall, and sat them at the head of the thirty people who'd been invited.
撒母耳领扫罗和他仆人进了客堂，使他们在请来的客中坐首位；客约有三十个人。
23 Samuel told the cook, “Bring the special piece of meat I gave you and told you to keep to one side.”
撒母耳对厨役说：“我交给你收存的那一分祭肉现在可以拿来。”
24 So the cook took the upper thigh of meat and what was with it and placed it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “See, this is what was kept to one side. It was reserved for you. Eat it, for it was kept for you for this particular time, right from when I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
厨役就把收存的腿拿来，摆在扫罗面前，撒母耳说：“这是所留下的，放在你面前。吃吧！因我请百姓的时候，特意为你存留这肉到此时。” 当日，扫罗就与撒母耳同席。
25 Once they had returned from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
众人从邱坛下来进城，撒母耳和扫罗在房顶上说话。
26 At dawn the next day Samuel called out to Saul on the roof, “Get up! I need to send you on your way!” So Saul got up, and he went outside with Samuel.
次日清早起来，黎明的时候，扫罗在房顶上。撒母耳呼叫他说：“起来吧，我好送你回去。”扫罗就起来，和撒母耳一同出去。
27 As they approached the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell your servant to go on ahead of us. Once he's gone stay here for a while, because I have a message from God to give you.” So the servant went on ahead.
二人下到城角，撒母耳对扫罗说：“要吩咐仆人先走（仆人就先走了）；你且站在这里，等我将 神的话传与你听。”
